Stencil-printing device



Dec. 28 1926.

'71.111 lll /llllll/A G. R. GILLETTE STENCIL PRINTING DEVICE Filed May 6. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l MRW Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,717

G. R. GILLET-TE STENCIL PRNTING DEVICE Filed May 6. 1924 2 Sheets-Shee. 2

Patented Dec. 28, 19.26.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. GILLETTE, OF MIEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIOTT AD- DRESSING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STENCIL-ERINTING DEVICE.

This invention relates to printing wherein the characters to be printed are carried by stencils, and especially by stencils having a relatively flexible ink-retaining sheet.

In certain classes of work as, for'instance,

the printing of time cards, pay roll sheets, or the addressing of letters and envelopes, and the like7 it is desirable for one purpose to print the entire characters carried by the stencils and for another purpose to print only selected characters carried by the stencils.

An object of this invention is the provision of means whereby a predetermined portion of the stencil may be shielded from the action ot the printing device so that the characters located in the unshielded portions of the stencils only shall be used for printing.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means to prevent the application of pressure to the shielded portion ot the stencil during the printing operation.

A further object of the invention is gcnerally to improve the construction and operation ot stencil printing machines and processes.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammaticpot the essential elements of a stencil printing machine employed in conjunction wit-h the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 ot Fig. 1 and illustrating the stencil shutter embodying the invention in position to shield a portion of the printing area of the stencil.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the manner in which the shutter acts to shield a portion of the stencil and support it against the pressure-action of the printing roller and platen.

4 is a plan view of a stencil which may be associated with the invention; and further illustrating in dotted lines the position of the stencil shutter to shield a portion of the printing area of the stencil.

Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the obverse face of the stencil shutter embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating the reverse tace of the stencil shutter.

Fig. 7 is a detail ot a portion of Fig. 1 showing a guide for holding the shutter above the track.

As shown in Fig. 1, the stencil printing machine with which this invention may well be associated includes the two parallel tracks 10 and 11 which are formed or provided .with stencil-receiving grooves or race-ways 12 in their proximate faces. Stencils are adapted to be contained loosely in said grooves 12 and moved therealong into a printing position beneath an ink roll 14: or other printing device for printing, in which position the stencils are held motionless, Inomentarily. The ink roll may be supported for a vertical movement by suitable means as the arms 15 between and by which the roll may be rotatably supported, and said roll isadapted to be moved downwardly and into pressure contact with the stencil disposed therebeneath, whereby to force ink through the printing characters carried by the stencil and record the characters on a work sheet c, which sheet may be supported on a table or bed 16 disposed beneath the stencil track. At the same time the printing device is moved downwardly into contact with the stencil, an anvil 17 may be moved up- 30 wardly through an opening in the table 16 whereby to move the sheet a upwardly into contact with the lower tace of the stencil.

A pile of superimposed stencils may be contained in a stencil receiver 18 disposed at one end of and in communication with the tracks 10 and 11 and suitable stencil delivery mechanism which may include a pusher 19, may serve to deliver the lowermost stencils successively from the stencil holder into and move them along the tracks 10 and 11. A stencil receiver 20 may be disposed at the opposite end of said tracks 10 and 11 in position to receive the used stencils.

The stencil with which this invention is particularly related, although not limited, may have a border or frame 24 of relatively stiff material, as cardboard. A sheet ot stencil paper 25 may be secured to and disposed Within the border of said frame. It is a characteristic of the stencil herein illustrated, and with which this invention is particularly concerned, that the stencil sheet 25 is coated with a layer of hardened gelatine or the like, which layer is adapted to be cut or displaced, in the act of impressing the printing characters on the sheet, thereby to expose the body ot the sheet to be penetrated by the ink contained on the ink roll, when the ink roll is brought into pressurecontact with the stencil; and the sheet subsequently may ret-ain ink in the printing characters. The stencil sheet is relatively yielding under the printing pressure, also.

Ordinarily there is sullrlcient room on the stencil sheet 25 to accommodate a number or' horizontal lines of characters and with the stencil shown in Fig. e there is suliicient space to accommodate `tour lines of characters, the numerals 555 in the illustration occupying two ol the tour lines available.

ln the ordinary operation of the stencil printing machine, the printing device, as the ink roll 14 is adapted to engage with substantially the entire area ot the stencil sheet- 25. For many' purposes, it is desirable, at times, to shield certain or" the characters against the action of the printing device whereby to prevent pressure from being applied to that portion of the stencil sheet containing the undesired charac-ters and thereby preventing the printing oit the undesired characters. fccordingly it is an obj ect o't this invention to. provide a shield or shutter which can be interposed between the stencil and the printing device and cover the undesired portion of the stencil and also support such porti-on against the printing pressure of the printing device, and also of the anvil. The shutter may comprise a plate 30 termed, preferably, of sheet metal, which plate may be ot any suitable shape but preferably is about aslong and as wide as the stencil. The plate is preferably rigid and unyield'ing whereby to` withstand the printing pressure ot the printing device without being deflected into pressure contact with the stencil sheet 25 of the stencil.

The shutter is provided with a lower stencil-engaging tace 31 adapted to overlie that portion of the stencil containing the characters to; be printed, and a relieved portion or recess 82 connected by a lip 33 with the stencil-engaging tace. Said relieved portion or recess is adapted to overlie that portionl ot the stencil containing the undesired characters. The stencil-engaging` tace 3l is termedv with. an aperture 341. therethrough which is adapted to expose the desired stencil characters tor access by the printing roll, which roll is adapted to be deformed, under the printing pressure, and enter said slot and bear against the exposed portion ot the stencil. Said slot may have its opposite side edges 3st@ beveled, as shown, to facilitate the engagement ont' the printing roll with the stencil. As here shown, the shutter is arranged to cover or shield the upper two lines ot the stencil and expose only the lowermost characters loi' printing.

"lhe stencil printino' machine is provided with means to hold the shutter removably in position above and on the stencil tracks and under the printing roll. Said means may include the guit es carried by said tracks, and said guides are or may be shaped and arranged to. engage the opposite corners ot the shntter and hold it removably in position on the track.

During the printing operation, the printing roll and the anvil move together at the saine time and the anvil raises the sheet a upwardly and against the lower tace oi the stencil and holds it in su-ch position while the printing roll engages die upper tace ot the stencil ano forces ink through the stencil onto the sheet. rlhe ink roll is deformed as is illustrated in Fig. 3 and a portion thereoiE enters the slot in the shutter and thereby causes the exposed characters borne by the stencil to be printed. rl`he blank portion of the shutter shields the undesired portion ot the stencil against pressurecontact with the-roll. The anvil is adapted to be relatively ruiyielding and consequently that portion ot the stencil disposed under the relieved portion or recess 32 ot the shutter is iree from pressure engagement with the sheet a and consequently, even though the characters located in this portion ot the stencil may bear ink deposited therein from a previous printing operation, these characters will not be recorded on the sheet.

l claim:

l. ln a stencil printing machine, inking means arranged normally to brin-g the stencil and the work into pressure-engageinent tor printing, and rigid means interposed between the inking means and the stencil to shield a portion ot the stencil aga-inst pressure-engagement with the work.

2.f ln a stencil printing machine, a yielding printing device and an anvil cooperating to bring the stencil and the work into pressure-engagement 'tor printing, and rigid means interposed between the printing device and the stencil to shield a portion of the stencil against and expose a portion thereoic for pressure-engagement with the work.

3. ln. a stencil printing machine, a yielding device arranged to engage the flexible stencil, an; inflexible anvil cooperating with said inking device to bring the stencil and the work into pressine-engageinent 'for printing, andv rigid means to shield a portion ot the stencil against such pressure-en.- gagement and expose a portion thereof 'for llO such pressure-engagernent and contact with said inking device.

4. In a stencil printing machine operating on flexible stencils, a printing device arranged to be moved .into pres nic-contact with the flexible stencil,` and rigid means interposed between the printing device and the stencil to shield a llortion of the stencil against and expose a portion thereof for suchV I n'essurc-contact.

5. In a stencil printingl machine, a yield-- ing` printing device arranged for pressurecontact with the stencil, and a relatively stiftI and nnyieldim;l plate interposed between the printing device and the stencil and arranged to be engaged by said printing device and support a portion of the stencil against pressure-contact with said device, said plate having an aperture therethrough which exposes a portion of the stencil for contact with said printing device.

6. In a stencil printing machine, an anvil, a superposed yielding printing device adapted for pressureengagement with a stencil overlying said anvil, and a relatively stiff and unyielding plate adapted to overlie the stencil and support a portion of said printing device against pressure-contact with the stencil, said plate having an aperture therethrough the access of another portion of said printing device with said stencil, the lower face of said plate having a relieved portion adjacent said aperture.

7. In a stencil machine, a stencil track adapted to support the opposite marginal portions of the stencil, an inking device movable into pressure-engagement with the stencil, and removable and relatively rigid means disposed between the stencil track and said inking device, and constructed and arranged to shield a portion of the stenci against the pressure action of the printing device.

8. In a stencil printing machine, a stencil track adapted to support the opposite inarginal portions of the stencil, an inking device movable into engagement with the steneil, and removable means disposed between the stencil track and printing device and constructed and arranged to .shield a portion of the stencil against the action of the printing device, said means including a relatively infiexible plate adapted to cover a portion of the stencil and shield it against the pressure of said inking device and having an aperture adapted to expose a. portion of the stencil to the action of said inking device.

9. In a stencil printing device, a stencil track adapted to support the opposite inarginal portions of the stencil, an in1 ki ng device disposed above, and an anvil disposed Y below, the stencil in the track and cooperating with said inking device to press the stencil int-o contact with the work, and

rigid means having a removable support upon. said track and above the stencils and arranged to shield a portion of the stencil against and expose a portion to the pressure action of said inking cevice and anvil.

l0. In a stencil printing device, a stencil track adapted to support the lopposite mar- `ginal portions of the stencil, a deformable inking device disposed above and an anvil disposed below the stencil on the track and cooperating with said inking device to press the stencil into contact with the work, and

means to shield a portion of the stencil against and expose a portion to the pressure action of said' inking device and anvil comprising a relatively inflexible plate carried by the stencil track below said deformable inking device and above the stencil, said plate having an apertured portion adapted to expose a portion vof the stencil, and an adjacent solid portion adapted to shield the remainder of the stencil, and said deformable inking device arranged to have a portion thereof bear against the solid portion 'of the plate and yield and deform to permit another portion thereof to enter the apert-ure in the plate and bear against the eX- posed portion of the stencil.

il. A stencil printing machine having an anvil adapted to support the work, a deformable inking device adapted to engage a stencil superposed over the work and press it into contact with the work, and a relatively iniieXible plate superposed over the stencil and under the inking device, said plate having a solid portion overlying a portion of the stencil, and an apertured portion overlying another portion of the stencil, and a relieved portion in the lower face of the solid portion.

1Q. A stencil shutter adapted to overlie a stencil and shield portion thereof against printing, said shutter comprising a relativelv nnvielding plate having an aperture arranged to expose a portion of the stencil for ,rinting, and having a relieved portion adapted to overlie the shielded portion of the stencil.

18. A stencil shutter adapted to overlie a otencil and shield a portion thereof against rinting, said shutter comprising a relaively rinvielding plate having a stencil-en- 'a `i 9 face formed with an aperture hi ngh which a portion of the stencil may be exposed for printing, and a relieved portion adjacent the stencil-engaging face which is adapted to overlie the shielded portion of the stencil.

le. A stencil shut-ter comprising a relatively inflexible plate having a lower stencilengaging face and a relieved portion adjacent sai-d stencil-engaging face, and a slot extended through said plate and lying within the borders of said stencil-engaging face.

l5. A stencil shutter comprising a relatively,T inflexible plate having' approximately the dimensions of the stencil Withl which it coopei'atee, said plate having` a lowei` stencilace which occupies the long `climension of the plate, and a slot extended through said plate in the long dimension thereof und Within the herder 0l said stencil-engaging face, and Said plate having a relieved portion adjacent saidv stencil-engaging ziee nely in the long dimension of said 10 plate.

n testimony whereof, I have signedl my naine to this specification.

GEORGE R. GILLETTE. 

